You know the premier Euro skate company, Cliché, have got deep roots in Australia, so a a tour of duty is the call during these shitty winter months.
Catch up with almost everyone on the team, plus a couple of Hoon guests, between February 22nd to march 4th, from Melbourne to the Gold Coast.
Stock a few Coopers in the fridge!
Danish skater Kristian Bomholt, recently visited the UK on a little promo trip. He rides for DVS Shoes, in fact you may have seen him in the European Vacation DVD that was on the front of Sidewalk last year or even in Neighbours.
Welcome to his Crossfire Countdown.
10. Kicking off the chart at number 10, let us know why you were passing through the UK?
I was there to do a photo shoot with DVS, skate and drink a few beers with Mathieu and Eric.
9. Feeling fine at number 9, we want to know what you’ve seen here that you wouldn’t see anywhere else?
Crazy Scottish skateboarders…
8. Number 8 is all about what you ate. Where is the best place you’ve had something to eat in the UK?
We were on the road the most of the time so I ate junk food every day. So I’m sorry but I can’t recommend anything!
7. Up from 11 and in at number 7, tell us what you brought with you before coming to the UK?
Almost nothing apart from my skateboard and a clean pair of boxers.
6. In the same line as 7, number 6 asks what you’ll be taking home from the UK?
No liquids for sure because they took it all at the airport. A bunch of fresh Matix clothing and that’s it.
5. Number 5 is where things get live, so what were best spots you got to skate in the UK?
I only skated one street spot and that was a ten stair in London and I smacked my head on the ground with that one. Other than that I skated a few indoor parks but it never really got fun because I had to deal with the pain in my head and my legs from the stair session!
4. Knocking on your door is number 4, so who have you been hanging out with in the UK?
Mathieu, Eric, Ches, Luis and a bunch of the Blueprint guys.
3. Last week’s number 1 down two places to number 3, who is your favorite UK skater?
There are so many great skaters from UK so it’s hard just to pick one. But (Danny) Brady, (Neil) Smiffy (Smith) and (Mark) Baines are killing it.
2. New in at number 2, where is the best place to chill and enjoy a drink in the UK?
It’s hard for me to answer because I can’t remember the names of the places we went to drink. But that means it was a good time though.
1. Which means that our number 1 question for you is – What have you learnt from your trip to the UK?
Don’t smack your head in the ground the first day or any other day. That’s the word! Peace.
Countdown by RLD
Photo courtesy of Ben Powell.
This video drops under the banner of independent cinema, but essentially it’s just a bunch of friends who got together and filmed some amazing footage. Jereme Roger’s Neighborhood show cases the talent of six super-ams: Eli Reed, Justin Schulte, Daryl Angel, Lamare Hemmings, Torey Pudwill and Jereme Rogers.
Jereme is actually pro, and deservedly so, but initially he was one of the first super-ams to appear at the dawn of the new millennium, so he gets honourable mention. Just to save a few of you some time, I must state that this production is probably targeted at the younger zone of the age spectrum with no pool skating, powerslides or other 80’s smooth moves. Middle aged shredders can stop reading now.
Ok, for those of you who are still reading, a couple of things must be established. The line between professional and amateurs has been blurred beyond recognition. Do we need to enforce new rules? I mean, all the amateurs in this feature have got more pop, flick and catch than a lot of their professional counterparts, and it’s all going straight to the bank, both financially and spot-wise. The second thing that needs to be pointed out is the esteem rewarded to switchstance skateboarding. When you see just how much incredible skating goes down in JRN switch, then you’ll understand why the novelty has worn thin. Today’s modern street skater knows no boundaries, and a walk through Jereme’s neighbourhood will prove that.
So, let’s get reviewing… When I first watched this video I squirmed at the below average title credits and intro animation: Garish colours, wobbly lines and undertones of serious plagiarism in regards the Monty Python-esque theme DVS Skate More produced. Being a journalist by profession, my research nerve itched so I scratched a little deeper and found out that the title and inspiration for this video actually came from a very famous American children’s TV show- Mr. Rogers Neighbourhood. This show ran for almost 40 years, but if you weren’t born and raised somewhere within the USA, chances are you’ve never heard of it. That detail out of the way, and suddenly the cheap animated skits pass by without any second thoughts.
JRN clocks in at a cool 30 minutes maximum, including the bonus footage that rolls a few minutes after the credits- no hidden chapters here. 30 minutes is perfect timing to get you and your mates stoked to go rip it up in the streets.
A brief introduction to each of the skaters involved in this project hails the East Coast ripper Eli Reed opening the show with a part crammed full of powerful switch skating. Underrated is the obvious word that comes to mind. Justin Schulte rolls up next and strings together some very smooth lines with a rather effortless style, even if his intro leans us towards the idea that Justin might be a stresser. With the rise of new amateurs taking the shape of a Tsunami, Daryl Angel washed right over me, but this video has got him back on my radar with his more well-rounded than technical contributions.
A brief friend’s section ensues and then the real stylers start to appear. Lamare Hemmings is a face you will soon see all over the place in 2007, and quite rightly so because this kid has lost all of his debut kiddie looks for a taller, broader frame packed with pop and style.
The part before last is my favourite. Call me biased but the facts just keep pointing in one direction and that’s towards Torey Pudwill. This kids consistency; skill and overall attitude are a winning combination of ingredients to create a very worthwhile professional. I don’t think Torey wants to jump the gun though, so a few more appearances in the amateur ranks will do him nicely. Just so you know, Torey has spent the last 6 months or so without a board sponsor. Is the industry blind??? Not anymore.
And so the ringleader steps up to claim last part. Jereme Rogers blew onto the scene in the shadow of one of the most influential videos to drop in the last decade, thus throwing him into the limelight with big sponsors, big money and big stress. Jereme handled all of it like he handles his skating- Smoothly. Whilst most pros and ams run to the latest hot spot in a bid to produce acceptable coverage, Jereme goes back to an OG street spot, the Los Angeles courthouse, and re-writes a few chapters of the manual: Kickflip noseslide frontside shove-it noseslide? Backside tailslide backside 180 noseslide? You get the picture… Add to his deep bag of tricks, and knack for taking switch skating to some hefty gaps and rails, and Jereme is the tip of the future. Just for personal reference, Jereme pops and catches audibly one of the baddest (bad meaning good!) varial heelflips I have ever seen.
Take a stroll through the neighbourhood and get schooled on what the future holds.
Jereme Rogers Neighborhood is sponsored by Studio 411, Billabong, Monster Energy, Core Exclusive, Boost Mobile and The Skateboard Mag.
Ralph L-D
15/01/07
Real have finally turned this year’s nuclear bomb blast of an amateur, Nick Dompierre, pro.
Congratulations Nick, a fair majority of so-called professionals must be shitting themselves.
Expect to see more of Dompierre alongside many other up and coming skaters worldwide in a forthcoming ‘Fresh Blood‘ feature on this site.
• Jan Hofer – 360 shove-it ph. Andy Speck c/o 5th District
• Levi Brown – FS 360.
• Joe Gavin – Switch 360 flip.
• Ville Pekka Pietiläinen – Kickflip nosegrind.
• Ali Boulala – Switch heelflip manual.
• Kris Markovich – Ollie.
• Mads Sand – Gap to 5-0.
• Craig Mulligan – Fakie flip fakie nosegrind.
• Oudalay Philavanh – Thruster wallride shove-it out.
Top 5 Skateboard gimmicks:
1. Pro model trucks/clothes
2. Graphic griptape
3. Abec ratings
4. Cross branding
5. Video deadlines
Pic of the week:
Guy Wiseman [crooked grind] and John Winter hard at work in the office [Photo: Ralph L-D]
The Element Europe team emailed in to report on the Simple Session 2007 that went down last weekend in the Estonian Capital of Tallinn.
Competition was very very tight and Jo Lorenz missed making the final cut by one place. Boaz Aquino managed to share 6th place with Yama boy Chris Pfanner.
Neither Jo nor Boaz were bummed though, as they enjoyed a good feast afterwards c.f. Picture.
Loot and respect went to Latvian skater Madars Apse who blasted a switch 360flip down the double set.
Peep the footy here.
Celebrated graffiti artist Xenz will be exhibiting various artwork and designs at the Workshop in Bristol from 2nd February to 2nd March.
Xenz started getting up on the walls back in the 80’s differentiating himself from the others by his experimental use of colours and layers.
For more info about Xenz, visit his site: http://www.xenz.org
For more info about this exhibition and future shows at the Workshop visit http://www.wonderfulworkshop.com
Illustrator of gnarly drawings of skulls and general gore French has a new exhibition, which seems to be highlighting his softer side, opening on 18th January.
High Priestess Of The Woods will preview on Jan 17th at the 102 West Bow, Edinburgh and runs until Feb 16th, check the flyer for more details, www.analoguebooks.co.uk or French’s own site www.tapedcopies.com
Lyon recently saw the acquisition of two new concrete bowls on the renovated banks of the Rhone River that runs through the centre of town.
As Crossfire mentioned in previous news, the project to get a skatepark built on the riverbank has been an arduous and heavily debated project, but finally the city gave the green light.
However, the architects and builders responsible for the peanut-shaped transitions were not skateboarders (you can see where this is heading…), so a replica of Marseille this is NOT. The coping hardly peeks out of the edges, and the angles have you safely below the speed limit. Despite these set backs, the bowls are free, in a safe area and good for beginners. The bigger bowl is approximately 2 meters deep, whilst the smaller version connected by a spine sits at a shallow 1m 50.
There are plans to have a ‘street park’ area built next to the bowls, but so far the designs have been deplorable. Local skaters are currently trying to get the designs fixed, but city officials usually follow the thought that whatever costs more must be better, and we all know who takes advantage of that naivety.
Hope is around the corner though, with skatepark designers and all around skate addicts, the Syndrom USSR cooperative, have placed a bid to try and get something done. This band of merry men from Marseille, have several successful skateparks designed and built throughout France, with new projects aimed for Bourgoin Jailleu, Annecy and a specially commissioned bowl for Carhartt in Hossegor.
Let this be a lesson to get involved and follow every step of the conception and creation of future skateparks wherever you live.